When RUG and diesel were at their highest price two or three years ago I read a great article in Automobile magazine about "The Tipping Point of Fuel Prices". The gist of the article was, that in conjunction with the looming economic downturn, at what price would fuel really start to negatively impact peoples lives. Making them deciding what they could do without vs driving their cars or for some, not driving at all. Then $4.00 for RUG was the tipping point.
It looks like those in control of the supply are again probing to see where today's tipping point is. $4.00 a gallon gasoline and even higher diesel prices will be devastating to people already struggling to make ends meet with the unemployment rate at 10%.
In the Cleveland area diesel jumped from $3.09 to $3.17 to $3.38 in less than 30 days. Diesel is currently $.50 per gallon higher than RUG.

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1987 300D 146K Original #14 Head
One eye on the road, the other on the temp. gauge

Gone But Not Forgotten
1983 380 SEL Long gone
1983 300SD Wish I hadn't traded it in on a 90' Corvette
1989 300SE My all time favorite
1995 E420 Went like a bullet